Employee pay raises top council agenda

Naomi KingStaff Writer

Sunday

Feb 22, 2009 at 12:04 AM

HOUMA – A $1.2-million proposal to change the parish’s employee pay structure and give raises to most workers will be discussed at the Terrebonne Parish Council’s regular meeting Wednesday.The plan raises the pay scales – or the minimum and maximum wages for each position – to be more competitive with other public agencies and the private sector.Those who fall under the new pay ranges would be automatically bumped up to the new minimum pay for each position, said parish Human Resources Director Dana Ortego. That would affect an estimated 600 workers and cost $843,920 in taxpayer money. Employees who would still fall within the new pay ranges for their jobs could receive up to a 3 percent raise. These increases would cost an additional $363,210. The Houma Fire Department would not be included because its employees already receive a 2 percent salary increase after three years of service.Employees who exceed the new maximum pay for their jobs would not receive a raise. Numbers of employees falling under these three categories were not available Friday, Ortego said.“Once it’s adopted, we can tell you specifically this is how many people it’s affected,” he said.The changes are based on a study by Waters Consulting Group, hired in April for nearly $70,000 to study the parish’s benefits, compensation and job descriptions and compare them to other government and private company jobs.Two weeks ago the council delayed voting on the Waters recommendations because, Councilman Johnny Pizzolatto said, not enough information was provided to make a decision.The $1.2-million proposal will be up for approval again at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the second-floor council meeting room in the Government Tower, 8026 Main St., in Houma.The council has one day of meetings this week because government offices are closed Monday and Tuesday for the Mardi Gras holiday. The council usually holds four committee meetings on Mondays.Here’s a rundown of other items on the agenda:n Levee work. Proposed revisions to the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District’s budgeted projects may be approved by the council. Every year the Levee District’s annual budget and projects must be approved by the council. This is because the district receives a one-quarter-cent sales tax dedicated to the Morganza-to-the-Gulf hurricane-protection system for Terrebonne and part of Lafourche.This year’s budget and projects are being amended because Gov. Bobby Jindal committed roughly $100 million in state money and grants toward the proposed system of levees, locks and floodgates, said Windell Curole, interim regional manager for Terrebonne and Lafourche’s levee districts. “With this money we can add more projects to really get executed,” Curole said. “We can start making a reasonable difference in keeping storm surges out.”The district plans to add engineering work for six reaches in the levee system near Dulac, Little Caillou and Montegut and for movable barge structures in Bayou Grand Caillou, the Houma Navigation Canal, Placid Canal, Bush Canal and Bayou Pointe-aux-Chenes, according to council documents.n Flood maps appeal. The council will consider a proposal to hire a team of consultants to appeal the FEMA maps that show higher flood risks for the parish. Lafourche and Terrebonne officials are joining the state to protest these updated maps that could raise flood-insurance costs and impose stricter building standards on some residents.Parish President Michel Claudet is proposing the parish hire engineers Shaw Inc., Morris P. Hebert Inc. and Joseph Suhayda, a former associate professor at the Louisiana State University, to prepare a technical appeal of the maps. To pay these experts, the council will consider a $225,000 budget amendment, paid for out of the parish’s general fund. If approved Wednesday, the consultants’ payment proposal will go to a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. March 11.To view the council agenda, visit www.tpcg.org/council and click on the left-hand link called “Agendas.”

Staff Writer Naomi King can be reached at 857-2209 or naomi.king@houmatoday.com.

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